- You get the customers' attention when you sell something that matters to them, and not just to your own company, said Dan Mikkin, Partner at Brand Manual, at SCCE's After Business Hours session, Thursday 8 October.

- Getting there is a four-D process that can be divided into two contexts; the problem context including to Discover and Define, followed by the design context which includes to Design and Develop your product or service. 

- Competitive advantage is about closing the delivery gap. And that is what I and my colleagues at Brand Manual do for our clients; we close the gap between business and customer perspectives.  

- To put it short, it's not just about what you do, it's about how you do it, concluded Dan Mikkin.

We summarized this Thursday evening with a very inspiring teamwork session. Divided in groups, we picked a service we all knew and use. And, based on Dan's presentation, we analyzed what our respective service provider is selling and what we actually are buying. The outcome was indeed very enlightening.

On behalf of the SCCE, I would like to thank Dan Mikkin for a very interesting presentation which is available online at this link:

www.slideshare.net/the_daam/service-design-closing-the-delivery-gap

My thanks also go to Park Inn by Radisson Meriton Conference & Spa Hotel for a splendid buffet and a very nice set up. And, last but not least, my thanks also go to our members who all took a very active part in our After Business Hours session.

Sincerely,

Kristiina Sikk

SCCE Ombudsman